deskthority

Update: The original post is hidden in the spoiler below.



This is an open-source project; everything is on its project page on Github.

The NaN-15 is a one-handed, chorded keyboard that is intended to be usable by either hand. It features macros and an on-keyboard-modifiable chord map, both persisting through power cycles.

It may be particularly useful when working a lot with the mouse, on messy/missing desks, or with a certain class of small computers that happen to be shipped with no keyboard at all.

Typing a chord means

1. you press down one or more keys (the "chord") in no particular order;
2. once the first key of the chord is released, the keycode mapped to the chord is being registered;
3. any further activity is ignored until all remaining keys have been released.

In addition to the chorded input mode, a few special layers are available where keycodes are being registered in the usual way, i.e. once a key is pressed:

• a number pad,
• a set of navigation keys,
• a mouse emulation layer,
• a macro pad. (Macro recording is done in chorded mode.)

The keyboard is able to print its current chordmap tables by "typing" a text representation to the host computer where a software tool can be used to turn the text into a graphical cheatsheet. There is also auto-generated documentation for the keyboard LEDs.
Original post:

One handed keyboards are interesting, tough I wouldnt use one.
Could you maybe add the option to split the 2u key?
This would make it great as addon numblock/arrow and media pad.
(if an 2u is needed I would place it like an numpad enter btw)

I used to have a twiddler years ago. I have never been able to actually type with it though, even less, to use the integrated gyroscope mouse. There is also the Matias One Hand keyboard.

Phenix wrote: ↑Could you maybe add the option to split the 2u key?
This would make it great as addon numblock/arrow and media pad.
(if an 2u is needed I would place it like an numpad enter btw)

It is probably possible to build a handwired version with a customized top plate and a controller board that is narrow enough to fit between the switches. ("Someone" may make an attempt to build such a breakout board.)

ideus wrote: ↑I used to have a twiddler years ago. I have never been able to actually type with it though.

This may well be the outcome here, too. At least it will be pocketable as I was able to confirm with the casings. Currently, I'm waiting for the PCBs.

I just hoped you could include this feature, as it makes for more options - and it should be quite easy to add..

Interesting idea, as impressive as the ISO50 project.

Are you going to order the PCB and plates from the same source? Are they from within Germany?

Menuhin wrote: ↑Are you going to order the PCB and plates from the same source?

Yes. Top plate, main PCB, and bottom plate are all PCBs (and only the bottom plate could be made of something else). I expect them to arrive at any moment.

Are they from within Germany?

They've been made in China by pcbway.com.


http://pcbshopper.com/ may be helpful in this regard.

Soldering the SMD stuff went smoothly (using hot air). The trickiest part were the reverse-mount LEDs on the top plate.
The IC is an ATMEGA32U2.


The USB cable needs to be soldered to the board directly as there isn't any place big enough for a standard connector.


The current firmware (based on TMK) doesn't do very much yet. We can type 15 distinct characters and switch the LEDs on.
There is a reset button (labelled PRGM) that runs the bootloader. DFU and Mass Storage bootloaders (both from the LUFA project) seem to work.

There will be a bottom label explaining usage (and covering the holes).

The chorded firmware starts looking usable. It is still based on the most recent, unmodified version of TMK.

In addition to the main (chorded) input mode, a few special layers are available:

• a number pad,
• a set of navigation keys,
• a mouse emulation layer,
• a macro pad. (Macro recording is done in chorded mode.)

On these layers, keycodes are registered in the usual way, i.e. once a key is pressed.

In chorded mode,

1. one or more keys (the "chord") are pressed down in no particular order;
2. once the first key of the chord is released, the keycode mapped to the chord is being registered;
3. any further activity is ignored until all remaining keys are released.

The chorded-mode keyboard is divided into sections, and there are a few restrictions as to the possible chords. These restrictions and the sectioning make it possible to fit the chordmaps into the 1 kB of EEPROM where they are on-the-fly editable.

The principal section comprises the top three rows where a chord can consist of up to one key from each of the four columns. This section is switchable from its lower to an upper level, providing room for 511 different keycodes. Each keycode is stored with its own set of the four modfiers Right Alt (aka AltGr), Left Alt, Left Shift, and Left Control.

The Fn section occupies the same 12 keys as the principal section. It has two levels that are bound to the function chords Fn0 and Fn1. A chord in the Fn section can consist of one to four keys of one particular row, providing room for 92 different keycodes, each with its own full set of eight modifiers. The Fn section is used for two flavours of modifier chords, one-shot and toggled, and a few auxiliary chords for customization, layer switching, and chordmap printing.

The three keys on the bottom row form their own little section. The seven chords located here select the upper level of the principal section or one of the Fn section levels, and perform a keyboard reset.

The special layers and the bottom row are immutable, but both principal section and Fn section can be customized at any time by swapping chords.

There is storage for eight chord macros. Each can record up to six chords (including modifiers). Recorded macros are played back through dedicated macro chords in the principal section, or by keys of the macro pad.

Both chordmap customizations and macro definitions persist through power cycles.

The keyboard is able to print its current chordmap tables by "typing" them to the host computer. Depending on the host computer's keymap, the output of this operation may appear a bit mangled. (Example, affected by my QWERTZ layout setting.)

is there progress you might want to show us?

Phenix wrote: ↑is there progress you might want to show us?

I'm (slowly) working on a tool that auto-generates a cheatsheet from the current state of customization. Here is a half-baked example of the intended output.

Done.

I've updated the top post.

Looks nice! Any chance those are going on sale somewhen? Ever since I saw PJE's OneHand keyboard for the first time I'm kind of intrigued with the concept of a chorded keyboard.

BTW, why does "j" appear twice on you cheat sheet? The second variant looks really difficult to press!

looks really nice.
I am interested in one to play arond with as well..
Will pm you re it.

If its possible to get one I have to readup the thread again

Nuum wrote: ↑Any chance those are going on sale somewhen?

Phenix wrote: ↑I am interested in one to play arond with as well..

The boards I have I intend to give to friends and family.

The easiest way to get one is probably ordering the parts and assemble them yourself, or have somone do it for you. Skills required include soldering, countersinking the bottom plate, and finding a way to make M2 standoffs of height 4.8 mm.

Nuum wrote: ↑BTW, why does "j" appear twice on you cheat sheet? The second variant looks really difficult to press!

It seems to be a j with an additional dot, mangled into an ordinary j. It's AltGr+j on a standard keyboard. I don't know what language it belongs to. The complete cheatsheet (page 1, page 2) contains a few more funny duplications.

Hi trebb, I admire your work, and of course that 48s(x) acting as size reference. Have you ever considered making a chorded keyboard for it?

I would be interested in making these. I have recently had a fascination with chorded keyboard designs and would love to learn. A few questions though...

First, how hard would you say learning it is?
Second, did your typing speed and/or efficiency improve?
Third, where did you have your plates and PCBs manufactured?

paecific.jr wrote: ↑I would be interested in making these. I have recently had a fascination with chorded keyboard designs and would love to learn. A few questions though...

First, how hard would you say learning it is?

Easy. There's much less muscle memory involved, and many chords can be memorized as mnemonic patterns.

Second, did your typing speed and/or efficiency improve?

No, not at all, expectedly. The fastest you can hope for is the typing speed of a single-finger typist. On the other hand, finding the home row blindly is very easy, as is typing with the keyboard sitting not exactly in front of you.

Third, where did you have your plates and PCBs manufactured?

pcbway.com (decent quality, but pricing not exactly predictable). https://pcbshopper.com may be a good starting point.

The reason I asked about the typing speed is that I've heard that chorded typists (mostly stenographers) can type significantly faster, the world record is 360 wpm. I know that they aren't the exact same, but I was hoping for some improvement.

Those chorded keyboards are for typing an entire word with one chord, not a single character.

Thanks.